Dunkirk One Shots

3: A Day In The Life Of

The light peered through the yellow cloth curtains as Lilah opened her eyes. Birds were chirping outside and it was a perfect summer morning. To most people. She wanted to go back to sleep and pretend it was all a dream. She always thought going to bed would be the hardest thing to do. It wasn't. Waking up without Alex was one of the most painful things Lilah had ever felt. The emptiness in the room was almost as bad as the vacancy she had in her heart. What was she supposed to think? Was he okay? Is he adjusting? Surely, his attitude has gotten him into some type of trouble. Thoughts like these ran through her head all day. Despite all of this, she was proud of him. He could have ran. He could have avoided all of this. Part of her knew that he wanted to do this, like he had something to prove.
"What a stubborn man you are Al." She laughed to herself. Thinking of Alex was doing her no favors right now, she had to get on with her day. Rolling out of bed, she unbuttoned one of his shirts that she slept in and set it on his side of the bed. It was one of his green collared shirts that still somehow smelled like him, she wanted to preserve his scent for as long as possible. It was a mixture of a cologne called Blenheim Bouquet that smelled like pine and lavender and also his hair tonic. It was pure bliss. She recalled the first time she ever experienced such a thing...

"Thank you so much for dinner Alex, it was really sweet of you to pay. You know, you don't have to." Lilah smiled. They were walking out of the parking lot onto a river walk together on a brisk Friday evening.
Alex turned towards her slightly.
"It's nothing really. Cheap wine and dinner is a small fee for a night with you."
Alex had been trying long and hard to get the opportunity to take Lilah out. After Fletcher, Lilah wanted little to do with the dating scene. Although Alex might have been the reason for the split, Lilah took her time.
She looked down a bit embarrassed. She felt bad for making him wait but she had to watch out for herself.  They walked in silence as they listened to the river flow.
"Alex?"
"Hm?" He turned his head towards her with his brow in a knot as if he were thinking about something.
"How long have you...ehm wanted to..."
"Take you out?" he laughed. "For quite some time now. When you were with Fletcher all I could ask myself was 'how?'."
"How could I like him?" Lilah questioned.
"More like how could that bastard catch the attention of someone like you. You've always been a good girl. Even in high school. But him? Geez, I almost second guessed you. He's a childish brute."
"He was my first boyfriend. So that kind of explains it. Marge is with John and they were friends so it just seemed right I guess. I had never dated before so what better to start in our little group. I just didn't see how much of an ass he was. I'm so naive..."
"Were."
"What?"
"You were naive." Alex smirked down at her. He realized just how short Lilah was. She stood just above five feet and he was just at six feet. It didn't register to him how close they were or how she was still looking up at him.
"Am I naive for going out with you tonight?" She questioned.
"I think it's the smartest thing you've done yet."
She laughed. "I didn't realize just how cocky you were."
"I-" he was cut off by a man with a camera walking up to them.
"Hey you two! I'm taking photos to advertise the new bridge on the river walk for the paper. You're a cute couple, wanna pose for the issue? I can't pay ya, but I can almost guarantee a spot in the story."
"I don't-" Alex started to say as he looked down at Lilah. But she cut him off.
"I think it would be fun, I didn't know that the bridge was so new. Do you wanna?" She asked Alex.
"Oh yea sure." They walked with the man and posed a few times for some photos. All throughout the time, Alex was wondering what Lilah thought. The man said that they were a 'cute couple' but neither of them corrected him. For the last photo they stood on one side on the top of the bridge as the photographer stood on the other and told them how to pose.
"Okay so now hold hands and walk towards me as if you were just taking a stroll together. Okay perfect, look here!"
Alex felt a bit uncomfortable but looked down to see Lilah smiling away. She laughed at the thought of this man calling them a couple but also at how she didn't care. Her laughter filled the air and Alex grinned down at her.

Click!

"Alright, that was the last one. Thanks folks. Let me get your information down for the story then I'll be on my way."

The last picture of them that they posed for was right on the cover of the paper. When Alex got the paper he cut the picture out and put it somewhere safe. When he left for the war, he took it with him along with his cherished handkerchief. He kept his belongings that were closest to him in his breast pocket.

He was changing back into his clothes after washing up when some of his buddies walked in to the old abandon building he was in.
"Aye mate, what's takin' ya so long?" One of them complained.
"Can't a man have a moment to himself Rogers?" Alex retorted while buttoning his shirt. He reached down for his jacket when a white fabric fell out of his pocket near another soldiers boot.
The man, Walker, scooped up the item and surveyed the fabric.
"What's this Al? Are these panties? You lucky bastard!" He laughed. He unfolded the fabric to find an old newspaper picture of Alex and an attractive woman laughing, holding hands. "Oy! Do the panties belong to you or this good looking broad? Look at the rack on h-"
Before he knew, Alex had taken the photo and fabric out of his grip and pinned him against the wall with his forearm on his throat.
"Hey buddy! I was just jokin' around! We're all men here, seeing a woman makes us say things-" Alex put more pressure on Walker. He starred at Walker with piercing eyes. Hearing things like this reminded him of that animal, Fletcher. He will never forget Lilah's screams...
"Alex!!" One of the men shouted at him to let go of the poor man he was holding hostage against the wall.
He let go and situated his jacket. He grabbed his pack, walked over to the exit and slammed the door on his way out.